It seems that every year we have one lamb who isn’t born with a full deck. Last year it was Squirt, a tiny little half-a-lamb, who didn’t survive lamb-hood. This year it was Peg, born small and with wobbly front legs that wouldn’t hold her on their own. We took her from her mother, splinted her legs, and hoped for the best. Her problems weren’t over. She was a voracious eater, but for some reason when she drank from a bottle she filled up with air and bloated like a balloon. Our vet suggested that we teach her to drink from a bowl, which we did, using a nipple as a “straw.” It was always pandemonium to keep the milk from spilling. Peg was a determined survivor, made it to weaning, and kept growing. Her legs strengthened and came out perfectly straight. Still, even though she was doing so well, she was not breeding-stock material. But then a wonderful opportunity came along—Jackie Post of SheeptoShop was looking for a few more East Friesians for her fiber flock and she is buying Peg! Sheep have a great life at Jackie’s, and she doesn’t breed them, so it is a perfect home for Peg, who has a very soft white fleece. And Peg is a total pet, following us around like a puppy, so I know she will fit right in with Jackie’s flock.
